We Got Married: 2AM Jinwoon + Go Junhee

Happy Wednesday! 

As I have mentioned in my last post about WGM, Lee Joon and Oh Yeon Seo couple have already left the show. At first I thought it would take some time before they find a replacement but boy was I wrong. Just last Saturday on February 9 airing, they already introduced the new couple! I was actually glad that it is another idol-actress pairing because it would be quite boring if it's another idol couple. Jinwoon of 2AM was already a "part" of WGM in Season 3 because he was one of the studio MC commenting on the show and he was really entertaining at the time. I am glad that he became part of Season 4 as a couple because I know he will do well and the show will be more fun to watch since he knows what are the things expected of him. He is paired with an actress named Go Junhee who is 6 years older than him. This age gap reminded me of the Sangchu Couple HwangBo and Kim Hyun Joong which I loved. Hopefully, they can give a lot of new flavors in the show because Jinwoon is a noona killer haha :)



FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

I have already watched their first episode and I believe they will do great! Go Junhee has a somewhat 4D personality and she is very honest and knows what she wants so I liked that about her. Aside from that, she is also very pretty and tall so it really makes a striking appearance. While Jinwoon is actually so mature and manly which I didn't expect from him. He didn't actually care that she was older than him because he was used to dating older women and knows how to act around them. I believe that this couple will progress more smoothly than the JoonSeo couple because Jinwoon is not the shy type and he will definitely move a lot faster. There will be less awkward moments between these two, definitely. I can't wait for Saturday to come so I can watch more of their interactions and see how they relate after their first meeting. Great job WGM PD!

You can watch their first episode at Kshownow or you can click here and it will direct you the episode last week.


Thanks for dropping by!

First Impression: Archery

Happy Tuesday everyone! 

If you've been following me on Facebook, you might have seen me trying out my hand at archery this month. Me and my bf did it twice: Once at La Mesa Ecopark for trial and a formal basic training at Gandiva Archery in Ortigas. I have only attended one session so I wanted to post a first impression here.

Here's a collage picture done by my bf. He likes to play around so I laughed when he showed me this photo ala Hunger Games ^_^

It's actually my bf who wanted to learn archery but he really really wanted me to join him because according to him it wouldn't be much fun if we're not gonna learn together haha ...I think it's just because I don't have any kind of physical activity except hiking and camping. Anyway, I gave in and it's so much fun! I really enjoyed our one hour session of basic training at Gandiva Archery. In that one hour, I learned the proper posture/position, how to hold the bow and arrow, and I also learned the rules like when to fire and when to get your arrows from the target board. I thought it was gonna be simple but I was wrong. It was actually hard to get your arrows hit the target. Luckily, my hands are stable so almost majority of my arrows hit the target paper and it didn't go everywhere. I was able to hit bulls-eye 3x during my practice which is great! 

Although, thinking about it, I still need to strengthen my arms because after 30 mins, my arms were already tired and I can't hit the target anymore. I also ended up with red hands and fingers because I was not used to holding a bow that long and also 3 fingers are used to pull the string and you need enough strength to pull and make your arrows fly far away. I will definitely practice a lot harder next time. My bf thought I have natural talent for archery because I was so stable and my arrows always hit the target paper even though I don't hit the bulls-eye mark. I love it when he feels so proud of me LOL ^_~

On the side note, I also enjoyed the food served in their cafe. That is definitely a plus since you get hungry after practice. I ordered a vegetarian putanesca and it was so good. I can't wait to try out the other food on the menu when we came back for our next session :)
 You should try it too! Gandiva Archery can be found at J. Vargas St. in Ortigas at One Corporate Center. They offer a per session rate of Php600 and this includes one hour use of the facility with trainer and the rent of the bow and arrows. You can also avail their module (a lot cheaper) which is best if you decided you really wanted to learn this properly.

By the way, our second session will probably be held at Benel Archery because we wanted to check which one has better facilities before deciding where we would permanently go for formal training with modules.

So yeah, those are my thoughts and I really hope I can learn more techniques and get enough skills to be able to compete in the future. It's nice if I can have archery as my sports since I never had one :)

First Impression: Tarte Smooth Operator Tinted Moisturizer

Hello! It's Saturday again and I'm hoping all of you will have a great weekend..It's quite cloudy outside so do bring an umbrella if you're going outside :)

For today, I wanted to share my first impression on a product that I have just purchased -- Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Tinted Moisturizer. This is my first ever item from Tarte Cosmetics because aside from the fact that we don't have this brand locally, I am actually just got attracted to it because of the rave the Amazonian Clay blushes received. I was debating whether to get this TM or their 12-hr wear foundation, but after a lot of research, I have settled into getting their TM because of the reviews it got.

I got mine for Php1,700 from Windy of StuffInStyle because she stocks US and UK brands regularly and the prices are really reasonable. I also had a smooth transaction with her (this is my first time buying from her) so I definitely recommend her website for those of you looking for brands like Urban Decay, Tarte, EOS, Korres, Stila, NYX, Wet&Wild, Sleek, etc.

Here's what it looked like:

I forgot to take a picture but it arrived with a secured bubble wrap to protect it from getting squeezed during the shipping. I really appreciated the thank you note too :)

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: 

"This weightless formula is no lightweight: packed with skinvigorating™ ingredients this tinted moisturizer will keep skin looking and feeling naturally smooth." - From the Tarte website

Tarte is also very proud to be a 100% Cruelty and Vegan brand ^_^

For more info on the product, please check out and visit their website:

http://tartecosmetics.com/tarte-item-smooth-operator-tinted-moisturizer

INGREDIENTS: 

CONTENT: 50ml/1.7 fl.oz.

MY SHADE: Agent 06 (Veil) - light skin w/ yellow undertones

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS:

I have only used this product 3x since I got it so I will still be posting a final review after I've used it for at least a month.

Here's a before & after picture of me wearing the tinted moisturizer and also how it looked after a couple of hours since application. I used a loose powder to set the TM because I have oily skin. I wore it outside and it was very hot that day so I was perspiring a lot. The last shot was taken without any retouching and I just used a tissue paper to blot my sweat before taking a picture.

(+)

- I liked the fact that it contains SPF 20 ...I'm not sure about the PA but at least it has a high SPF that is perfect for everyday use :)

- It is from a brand that is 100% cruelty free and vegan

- Feels very light on the skin. It feels like I'm not wearing anything on my face.

- Looks very natural. It blends well on the skin.

- This doesn't contain harmful chemicals like paraben, SLS, etc. Perfect for sensitive skins.

- Has a great shade system for everyone. Shade Agent 06 is a perfect match for me because it has the right amount of yellow undertone.

- It did not oxidized on me! This is the coolest part. I did try to get a shade lighter but I ended up getting an exact match with 06 so I was really worried at first but it ended well. It did not get dark and muddy on me unlike other foundation/BB Cream/ TM I used before.

- Doesn't cake even if you applied multiple layers and it still feels light on the skin even if you have 4 layers already which is kind of nice.

- I think this is great for any skin type. I currently have a skin asthma attack so some areas of my face are flaky and very dry and some are oily but this TM worked fine on all the areas of my face :)

- This haven't broken me out after 3 consecutive uses and hopefully it won't. I'll update you guys on that.

(-)

- this has a very sheer coverage. I've read somewhere that this is light to medium coverage but when I tried it, it just gives a sheer coverage.

- Not buildable coverage. I tried using my fingers on my first try and 2 kinds of brush on my next 2 tries and all 3 gave me light coverage. I tried applying more layers hoping it can give me at least a medium coverage but it stayed the same.

- It becomes itchy when I sweat a lot which is not uncommon for me but it irritates me when that happens. I'll try this again when my skin is not acting up so I can test this further.

OVER-ALL, I am still in the middle whether I am happy with my purchase or not. I like that it doesn't oxidize and it feels light on my skin but I want some coverage to cover my acne scars. I will try other methods to see whether I can achieve the effect I want just by using this.

I am also asking my sister to test it out too so she can give me her opinion and I can share them with you on my final review since we have different skin type -- she have dry sensitive skin and I have combination acne prone skin.

Have you guys tried using this Tarte Smooth Operator TM? Please share your thoughts and also your techniques on applying this product. I would really appreciate it. ^_^

Thank you for dropping by!

First Impressions & English Subbed Videos...

So it's been 2 weeks already since Faith and To The Beautiful You have aired. I would just like to share with you all my first impression of the dramas and also some links to the videos with great quality English subtitles :)

FAITH

I really have a high expectation with this drama because Lee Min Ho is in it and he is a great actor. After watching the first 4 episodes, I am so glad I am not disappointed. Aside from the fact that he looked good in his warrior attire, he also did not disappoint with his acting. I was hooked from the very beginning because it combined fantasy and period so it is quite new for me. I love the fact that some of the characters have magical powers too and the director did a great job on making them look real. The only thing I am kind of iffy about is the narration of the past event because they showed it in a cartoonized version.

Here are the subbed videos done by Kimchidramas. I love watching there because they sub fast and the quality is superb on both video and subtitle =)

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

TO THE BEAUTIFUL YOU (Hana Kimi Korean Version)

As I've said before, I am a fan of the manga where this is based and I am in love with the Japanese live action (the original version..I didn't like the remake) so I have a very high criteria. The Taiwanese version didn't met it a couple of years back and I was a bit iffy about this too coz Minho is not actually an actor so I'm not sure if he can do it properly. 

After watching the first 4 episodes, I am definitely glad I gave this one a chance. Sulli surpassed my expectation. I was worried she'd be too girly for the role but she really did a great job in acting as a boy. Her acting is good too so I will definitely be expecting more from her from now on. I am also happy with the actor who portrayed Nakatsu though. He fits the character perfectly! Although he is not as handsome as Ikuta Toma, he still were able to portray the role perfectly so I don't mind. Can't say much about Minho because all of his scenes rarely have dialogues and he always have that blank bored look. :)

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

WE GOT MARRIED (first airing after the London Olympics)

For this week's We got Married, they have introduced a new couple -- Kang Julien and Yoon Se Ah.

After watching episode 1, I really believe I will like them. I was getting tired of the WooJung couple lately so this new addition will be a fresh new start. They are both actors and Julien is a foreigner so it would be really interesting to watch how this older/mature couple will act. I think this will be more realistic because of them are old enough to look for a real partner :)

Links from Kshownow ^_^

Enjoy the videos! 

Thanks for dropping by!

New Korean Dramas to Watch ^_^

Here are some dramas that started airing last week that I've decided to watch ^_^

1. Rooftop Prince

Genre: Fantasy, comedy, romance

Episodes: 20

Air Time: Wednesday-Thursday @ SBS

Synopsis: The Crown Prince of the Joseon Era was sent 300 years in the future (2012) with his 3 body guards while they are searching for the murderer of the Crown Princess. Coincidentally in 2012, some key characters like the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince himself looks the same with the present people.

Reason for watching: I am a fan of Park Yoochun who is acting as the Crown Prince.

Initial Impression after 2 episodes: I am hooked! It is so funny that I can't stop laughing whenever I remember the scenes. I am so glad it consists of 20 episodes coz I would love to laugh and fall in love with Mickey again.

2. Fashion King

Genre: Romance

Episodes: 20

Air Time: Monday-Tuesday @ SBS

Synopsis: The story is about the aspiring fashion designers with different backgrounds and how they conquered the different trials and became well know in the fashion industry.

Reason for watching: I searched for this because I want to see Yuri of SNSD in her acting debut. At first I just want to watch the first episode but when I saw Yoo Ah In as one of the main cast, I decided to watch this for him.

Initial Impression after 2 episodes: This is actually a little on the drama side because the main characters' life was hard but it has a touch of comedy here and there so I still laughed. I can already tell the actors are great so I know I won't be disappointed. I'm excited to know how the story will unfold. Really looking forward to it.

3. K-pop Extreme Survival

Genre: Musical, romance.... & (cross-dressing...Is this a genre? haha)

Episodes: 16

Air Time: Monday-Tuesday @ Channel A

Synopsis: This is a story about the life of a Kpop Idol group M2 and its members. The company conducted a survival audition on who will become the new members of the group. The character of Ji Seung Yeon is a boyish girl who is very talented and wants to become a hip hop artist. She needs to pretend to be a boy in order to reach her goal.

Reason for watching: I love musical shows like this...just like You're Beautiful and Dream High. I decided to watch the first airing and I got hooked.

Initial Impression after 2 episodes: I love it! It feels like YAB and DH combined with a little Coffee Prince on the side haha. I think it's the perfect blend because the lead actress really looks like a boy and not just trying to be one...She's the older sister of Mir of MBLAQ and they really look alike...check out their pic. They look like twins!

Also, the character of Kang Woo Hyun is acted by Park Yoo Hwan who is the brother of Park Yoochun. I just learned about this when I watched the first airing because he really looked like Mickey Yoochun. Check out their pic :)

The first 2 episodes are really promising and I am looking forward to the story. It is very entertaining too ^_^

4. Love Rain

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Episodes: 20 (not yet confirmed)

Air Time: Monday-Tuesday @ KBS

Synopsis: The drama is about an ill-fated love story between a couple of the 1970s and the story between their children at present who have met and fallen in love too. Will they also end up heart broken like their parents?

Reason for watching: I am a fan of Jang Geun Suk and I wanted to watch this one. Plus, his leading woman is Yoona of SNSD hehe.

First Impression after 2 episodes: No comment yet coz I haven't watched it yet. I'm still waiting for an ENglish subbed episode until now.

You can watch English Subbed episodes of any of these drama at:

www.kimchidramas.net

www.mysoju.com

www.viki.net

Skin Diary: Derma Roller Experience (1st)

Hello everyone! I hope all of you had a great week and will have another good one :)

I know I promised all of you that I will post pictures about my derma rolling experience last July 14 but my derma had to go somewhere that day so we re-scheduled it today.

My derma and I talked and decided that we will do the removal of warts (I didn't know I already had a lot hehe) first then proceed to derma rolling. So I went to the clinic yesterday but since I have a lot of pimples (it's that time of the month last week) my doctor can't actually see the warts hehe so I just had a facial then asked to come back today.

First off, I want to apologize, I was unable to take a picture before I underwent the procedure. But my skin did not change much after the procedure minus the reddish color of my skin hehe so I still think it can be used as a "BEFORE" picture for future reference ^_^

WARNING: I do not have great skin so the following pictures will show my flawed skin without any makeup editing, whatsoever...

Here's a shot 30 minutes after the procedure was done. I was a little flushed looking. You can see the marks from the facial and cautery but no marks of the needles from the derma roller.

arrgh! look at my acne scars...it looks worse in person.. huhu

Here's a shot 3 hours after. The flushed look disappeared already and I only have a slight blushed look on the cheeks.

*My face is a little shiny coz I have an antibiotic gel all over my face.

Here's what I can tell you about my Derma Roller experience...

-You will have topical anesthesia applied to your whole face, so allow an hour for that. Take this into consideration when scheduling for the derma roller.

-And since you have anesthesia, you won't feel any pain. I can just feel the sensation of having something rolling on my skin but no pain from the needles. hmmm, I can describe it as if you are pressing your hair brush on your skin. No pain but you can feel it...I hope I make sense here hehe :)

-It takes around 30 minutes only for the whole procedure (waiting for the anesthesia to work NOT included)

-Redness is not too much. You just look flushed as if you put a lot of blush hehe. It subsides after an hour or two then you'll just look like you are blushing as seen on my picture. No needle marks visible after.

-They say that you can see a difference even after a week...so I'll be putting up a picture after a week to show you guys if it's true or just a rumor haha

-According to my derma and research in the internet, it usually takes 5-6 sessions before you achieve the result you want. 

This will be done every two weeks and I'm really hoping I'll have clear skin before my 25th birthday on November hehe...I'm really crossing my fingers ^_^

-This is a little expensive. It cost around Php12,000 for 10 sessions in my derma's clinic. And I heard that it's already cheaper there coz there's someone that told me she spent Php30,000 for this! That's a huge difference don't you think? I don't get it why big known clinics charge too high on procedures.

So, yeah, I'll come back on Thursday for a checkup. this is my first session so my derma needed to check how I reacted to it. then it will be every 2 weeks ^_^

I really saved up for this and that's why I'm not posting a lot of reviews lately...money's tight right now especially since I don't have a large salary...but I really think this is worth it. I really like to invest on my skin because beautiful makeup is useless if the base is ugly right? ^_^

Till my next post! Wish me luck guys! Have a happy monday! ^_^

Random things + First Impression on Laneige Snow Crystal Foundation

Hello everyone!

I want to post something before I sleep hehe..I do want to update you all on what's happening to me lately ^_^

Well, I want to tell you first why this is a pictureless post...I can't take pictures because I can't find the charger of my digicam haha..I really can't remember where it is..I tried looking for it for a couple of days already but it still missing..*sigh*

Anyways, I have been doing some hauling from different brands..I really am into a shopping spree lately haha I don't know why..maybe because I suppressed my buying urges last year so it came back in full force? possibly noh? hehe

1. Etude House - yes, I already went to the newly opened shop at Megamall last week with my sister. The store is so cute and the products are cutely packaged too but sadly, the stories are true..the SAs are not trained about the products..they don't know the differences and the function of each item they are selling...also, most of their must-buy stuffs are already out-of-stock..I'm really lookin forward to getting their duo-fiber brush because of the raves here at blogger and in GT but it has been OOS for quite some time already...so I ended up not buying anything, but my sister got their Speedy Mineral Base and I am using this right now..I think I can give you all a review on it next week..I'm crossing my fingers that I won't break out from this too..

2. Laneige - I gave in and get my 2nd item from their line. I planned on getting their sliding pact_ex compact foundation or their Snow crystal foundation which are both highly raved about but I ended up buying their Pore Foaming cleanser instead. The reason is that, those two items that I want are not really meant for oily skin (which I am)...but I'm still happy with my visit there..I'm still on the testing phase for the cleanser so I'll also give a review after a week or so..I want to check the effect of this..but so far, I'm liking it :)

Also, the SA who assisted me, really took her time to try the snow crystal foundation on me so that I can check its capacity in "oil control" and coverage...since I'm so keen on trying their makeup line hehe :)

my verdict after one use:

PROS
-very light feel..as if I'm not wearing anything! even lighter than some heavy coverage MMU foundie I have tried.

- has sun protection...SPF22 and PA++

- has buildable coverage depending on what you use for application. Marj used a foundation brush on me and was able to conceal my acne scars without the help of the concealer.

- it has a concealer and mirror on top which is good coz you won't need to get a separate one.

- I have a match..well not totally..I'm shade#23 which is a shade lighter than my skintone..this blended well with my skintone after 30mins since I'm acidic..it looks flawless :)

- has a pump bottle so it's very hygienic



CONS
- a little pricey..a bottle cost Php1,800

- can be too thick if applied too much..so use sparingly coz you only need one to two pumps for the whole face and neck

- you can't control the product that comes out after a pump..I noticed this when she did it.

- I'm not yet sure if this will break me out or not since I have only tried this once :)


3. Divisoria - yep! I went with my mom and sis..I was not supposed to buy something but I saw these nail polishes and they have cute colors that are hard to find...I got them for P10 each (wholesale price coz I got 6pcs)...I can't say if this is a good product for nails because it is cheap..hopefully, nothing bad will happen hehe ;)

What I like about it:
- very cheap at Php10 each
- good color payoff - even with one swipe, you can achieve the same color in the bottle.
- doesn't chip easily..the nail polish lasted at least a week on my toenails.
-has a big range of color.

What i don't like about it:
- smells like house paint...really! this is one of the reason I'm scared haha :)
- I don't know the ingredients so I can't say if this will do something bad for my nail..I hope nothing bad will happen though.


That's it! I hope you enjoyed reading them ^_^

I'll post a detailed review on the Garden of Wisdom product I tried on my next post. I was amazed so I wanted to share this great product with you all.

See ya! God bless everyone! Have a nice week ahead! ^_^

Haul: Avalon Organics Vit. C Rejuvenating Oil-free Moisturizer

*warning: picture heavy*

Hello everyone! How's your 1st day of work/school so far? I hope everything went fine :)

Today, I went shopping for a good moisturizer. I finished up my tub of moisturizer made by my derma yesterday and I can't believe it coincided with my skin asthma attack. I had a hard time sleeping last night because my face felt so dry, itchy and there's a stinging sensation around my mouth too. Actually when I woke up this morning, my skin was still dry so I did not put anything on my face after washing (same with last night..just cleansing and treatment gel for itchies). Since I don't want to purchase another moisturizer from my derma (because I find it expensive even though it works great for me hehe), I went out to buy another one. I first went to Loccitane but after seeing the price tag of their moisturizers (Php 2,700 for 30 ml tube!) , I did not purchase it..I can buy a lot of Celeteque water-based moisturizer for that price hehe. As I was walking along, I came across Healthy Options and I remembered that Avalon Organics is a good brand of skin care according Girltalk and so I purchased one. I got myself the Skin Nourishing Anti-oxidant intensive Vitamin C Sun-aging Defense Rejuvenating Oil-free moisturizer..whew! what a long name! This moisturizer costs only Php575 for a 50 ml tub so I think this will last me a couple of months.


The Ingredients...
Here's what the container looks like...

It comes with a clear plastic cap with embosed label

It is a white, cream-type moisturizer that is thin in consistency.

Here's a swatch of it..this cream spreads easily and absorbs fast in the skin.

I'll give my intial take tomorrow for a more comprehensive point of view. At least I have used it twice already and I can note if there would be any changes in my skin. Please watch out for it tomorrow. Thanks! See you tomorrow guys! Bye ^_^

BB Cream Mini Reviews: Skin Food, BRTC and Skin 79

I have been introduced to BB Cream or Blemish Balm Cream last year. As most of you know, I'm really always on a look out for good skin care and cosmetic products since I joined the Mineral Makeup bandwagon 3 years ago. And since MMU is very skin-friendly, I also want my other cosmetics to be skin-friendly too. After doing some research, I stumbled upon BB creams. It is said that BB Creams originated from Germany to be used on post-surgery patients to help them heal and conceal at the same time. This concept was popularized by Korea and was/is associated with the flawless looking skin of Korean actors and actresses. Because of this popularity, the love for BB creams spread through out Asia. It is said that prolonged usage of BB creams results in improved skin condition. Many brands have surfaced since that period and it really takes quite some time before you can choose the best match for you. Different brands claim different things but their main target is to make your skin look great "naturally" coz you won't look like you are wearing makeup but your skin will look flawless :)

I have tried Skin Food Aloe BB Cream and BRTC Perfect Recover Balm last year. And here's a short review on them.


Skin Food Aloe BB Cream

What I like:
- available locally
- spreads easily
- has two shades to choose from
- good packaging

What I don't like:
- has a strong scent..I feel like I will breakout because of it.
- no SPF
- doesn't control my oiliness


BRTC Perfect Recover Balm

What I like:
- has a reseller here in the Philippines
- has good coverage (great for concealing marks)
- keeps my oiliness at bay

What I don't like:
- quite pricey
- only has one shade
- has whitish cast sometimes because of the light shade
- a little thick so it's a little hard to spread
- takes a while before it blends out on my skin


After BRTC, I stopped trying out BB creams. It is just only recently when my urge to get and try another brand of BB cream resurfaced. This happened when I tried Skin 79 BB cream from Nikki during her seminar. It feels so light on my skin, spreads easily and doesn't have any strong scent. I did some research and it is a good brand according to reviews. Nikki uses the gold one but when I researched about it, I found out it is not meant for young and oily skin like mine (it is meant for a more mature skin). I was lucky to be able to find their other variant, it is their hot pink one that is meant for my type of skin and so that's what I ordered. It took 3 weeks before my Skin 79 Super Plus BB Cream Triple Function arrived at my hands. Here it is :)



It came with a sample that is meant to be used as a keychain. I will use it after I finished my big one coz it is so cute to be opened now haha :)

According to the information at the back of the bottle and box:

Skin 79 Super Plus Beblesh Balm Triple Functions has:

- Whitening
- UV Rays interception SPF 25 PA++
- Wrinkle Improvement

It has KFDA 3 functions certification
Here's a picture of how it looks like:

It has a slight grayish undertone but it doesn't bother me when blended out.

I placed a lot of product on these pictures to show you the difference of how my skin looks with or without BB cream.

See how flawless and even my skin looks with BB cream on? Cool right? :)

Here's my initial take on Skin 79 Super+ BB Cream:

PROS

- made specifically for normal to combination skin
- comes in a pump bottle (so hygienic!)
- it is a big bottle (compared to BRTC and Skin Food BB Cream) = more products!
- Spreads out easily (so I only need to use a small amount of product each time)
- Lightweight on my skin (feels like nothing is on my face)
- has sun protection, anti aging properties and whitening in one
- didn't made me itch even with the hot weather
- makes my skin even and looks glowing
- helps a little with the oiliness ( I look dewy and not gross)
- has a very mild scent (smells like a moisturizer..I love it!)
- has a reseller here in the Philippines (though it takes about 3wks for pre-order)
- affordable for Php1,100 IMO

CONS
- shipping takes long (as with other pre-order)
- none!

Will I buy it again? Hmm, I'll tell you after I used this for at least one month. If this won't make me break out, then I'll say YES! hehe :)

Here are some pictures of me wearing Skin 79 BB cream alone. I'm wearing jackets and scarf because it was very cold at Mt. Pulag (around 8-10 degrees) especially at night.


My skin did look flawless with this..I really am crossing my fingers that this won't break me out and it will help heal my post acne marks..wish me luck! :)
Ciao!

--Gale

Ellana Minerals Haul and Review

I went to Megamall Mega Trade hall 3 earlier with my mom and sis..While my mom is going around the hall to check all the booths, my sis and I went to Ellana Minerals' booth..I've met sis Coney (nice seeing you again sis and thanx for assisting us!) and she taught me and my sis on how to properly apply Ellana products (my sister is the model haha)...This is to prepare my sis in selling the products to their school (she's going to be a re-seller of Ellana..she's a marketing student in FEU and they are required to sell something to raise funds for their institute's organization)...I suggested this brand to my sister because her target customers are of course students and so they have limited budgets...and Ellana is a very affordable brand with good quality products...so it's the perfect brand to sell in a school ground...Actually, the only item I have tried personally from their line are the blushes...and since I already have some previous experience with the blushes, I was more intrigued on cheking out the other products like e/s, lip stuffs and brushes when we stayed in their stall.


My Review:

- blushes: I love the shades of their blushes because they just give your cheeks healthy looking flush and not over the top color..it has subtle sheen so they are perfect for those glows and illuminizers you have in your stash..they are pigmented so that's good..staying power on my oily skin is just so-so..but for the price and effect, I won't mind re-touching when necessary

- Lip products: their lip balms and lip colors are great! very moisturizing and long staying..even if you have wiped it off, there will still be some tint left on your lips...for the price, I will say this is heaven sent already coz they can sell this at a much more because of the quality..love love love it..i have no rants so far

-Eye shadows: the first thing that caught my eye instantly when we arrived at their booth are the beautiful pots of eyeshadows that has gorgeous colors inside...but sadly, when I swatched it on the back of my hand, it hardly showed up..they are not as pigmented as my usual MMU e/s pigments, but for the price, they are okay in staying power...they did stay put on my sister's eyes for almost 5-6 hours without any base and applied dry..and my sis perspired the whole time

- Brushes: this is love...they are so soft especially the buffer brush and baby buki..I will definitely get one for myself..they are as soft as the EDM long handled kabuki that I love so much..I love the size of the buffer brush coz it will be a lot faster to finish the whole face and since all the brushes are made from high quality synthetic bristles, it's a big plus in my vocabulary...this reminds me of Lumiere kabuki..the color of the hairs, the feel and the quality...i don't think it will shed too..I'll definitely post a review once I have got one for me and have used and washed it for at least 10x so wait for that :)

the baby buki is so cute..this one, I already have hehe..it's the right size to fit in any kikay kit..it has the same synthetic bristles as the buffer brush so it's soft and compact...the idea of having a separate tin container for it instead of having a retractable type is ingenious..I actually hate retractable brushes coz 1) they shed a lot, 2) they stink coz the part near the ferrule doesn't dry totally even if you let it dry for a few days and 3) they dry so long!...so i like this baby buki more..I'll post another review if it will shed or not once I have washed and used it for at least 10x


see how small it is? it's the right size for retouching during the day..or you can use it for applying your blush since it will really fit your cheeks :)
here are some pics of my sister's haul from Ellana Minerals..this is half of the first batch of products she will be selling (the other half will be shipped this Tuesday)...I'm really so happy that my sister is re-selling already coz I won't need to pay for shipping anymore if I want to get something from Ellana..I'll just get it from her stocks haha :D




I'll be trying their foundation, finishing powder and concealers coz I like what my sister and her friend looked like after Coney did their makeover using all Ellana Minerals..watch out for my review..Thanx for dropping by! Till next time :)